I reserved a room at Mohan International Hotel in Delhi via Hotel Pushpak when I was in Goa (reservation HPR[protected]. Immediately after making the reservation I saw online reviews of the hotel which stated that it was not only disgusting and creepy but dangerous: at least one guest had been robbed and the culprit was found to be a hotel employee. My wife was to arrive several hours before me from a different city and I was not going to have her go there alone.

Immediately I contacted Hotel Pushpak by email and instructed them to cancel the reservation. This was within a few minutes of making the reservation. I did not receive a reply.

In subsequent phone calls to Hotel Pushpak, I have been told by the very un-helpful official that I can use the funds as a credit toward future stays, or I “might” get a refund at some unspecified future date. I informed him that I have no plans to return to India. Tonight, December 12, 2010 I was told to call again in January and he “might” refund my money.

This is a pathetic excuse for a business but in my experience all-too-typical of Indians’ dealings with foreigners.